It all began with a few too many online reviews of the Pan Asian restaurant, Tao located at the Boat Basin lane, which claimed to have dishes ranging from Malay, Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisines. Needless to say, the restaurant was all about the buzz ever since it opened.

Last week, a friend and I were walk-ins at the eatery. At first glance, the interior appeared to be an ultra-modern spin on the conventional Pan Asian setting, featuring all-grey stone, darkened wood melding with Zen elements. It was neither too formal nor was it painfully casual, but bear in mind the eatery is not certainly a loud, chatty spot as it maintains a very calm and surreal ambience. What caught my attention on the menu was the introductory section describing the meaning behind the restaurant’s name and a brief intro of their extensive menu of approximately 15 sections. It had a lot of variety in it, from different and unique types of soups and starters to appetising main courses and a number of beverages. Every day, we embark on making tough decisions but amongst the hardest of them is deciding what to eat. Especially when you are at a pan Asian restaurant with food representing most of the Asian countries. Seriously, it’s no joke.

I’ve got to hand it to the waiters there for being so helpful and patient with us.

Our waiter inquired about our tastes and presented a couple of options accordingly.

Being a seafood devotee, I ordered their ever-famous Dynamite Prawns for appetisers. They arrived in a cocktail glass, eight prawns (good enough for two) on a bed of thinly sliced Asian cabbage, nicely crisped, smothered in a tangy and sweet sauce. Teppanyaki Chicken, boasting Japanese flavours was my personal favourite. Chicken grilled to perfection served with fresh herbs, spicy vegetables and garlic butter is a must try for people who don’t fancy meat with gravy.

Fused it with their steamed rice and the dish was bursting with flavours. Recommended by the server to my friend, Kung Pao Chicken was divine on the taste buds. A scrumptious meddling of sweet and sour chicken swathed with an in-house Kung Pao sauce delivered a sharp kick, toned perfectly with a kick of sweetness. I like the fact that the chicken wasn’t too chewy nor overcooked and was richly in seasoned. The best part about ordering their main course is that they serve each main course with complimentary steamed rice which are refilled without you having to ask for it. We ended our dinner with Ginger Mint Lemonade which was refreshing – courtesy of the fresh mint. It was a delicious and refreshing summer lemonade with a bit of fresh ginger and backyard mint muddled with lemonade.

But what stole the visual show was their sushi bar. Although I’m not a big sushi fan but watching them prepare it was truly gripping! If you are a pan Asian devout, Tao is one place where you are sure to find all Asian cuisine delicacies under one roof. With so much of the considerable menu left untried, the eatery is a promising addition to Karachi’s vibrant and diverse foodscape.

Location: Main Boat Basin, Block 7 Clifton, Karachi.
Average cost for 2: 2500-3000 approximately.

TASTE

When you go to a restaurant you should expect nothing less than a delectable meal that exceeds your expectation and Tao surely lived up to mine.

SERVICE

No matter how good the food is, the customers would never come back if the customer service is poor. The staff here was extremely cooperative, prompt and gentle.

AMBIENCE

A restaurant’s atmosphere sets the stage. The low lighting and the grey stone and dark wood interior gave the eatery a pleasant ambience.

PRESENTATION

Food was presented in a classic arrangement of the main items in the front with vegetables in the back. The presentation was not too fancy but it was neat.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Tao’s food is certainly worth all the money spent. For a semi-fine dining restaurant, it is not too pricey.